Degree Level of Interest

NLU Program of Interest

Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree

Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree

Learn how to harness your individual strengths to maximize your potential as a leader. National Louis University’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program uses a unique methodology and process to cultivate students’ leadership abilities combining traditional strategies and techniques related to individual strengths. In addition, the program provides students with the foundational skills and knowledge today’s businesses are looking for. Whether you’re looking to change careers, advance in your current field or have just graduated with your bachelor’s degree, you’ll learn how to lead in the real world. And NLU offers flexible options for study, whether online or at one of our campuses around Chicago, IL, Wisconsin and Florida.

What You Will Learn

Students begin with "Leadership and Organizational Behavior," a signature class that sets the stage for the MBA degree program. Over the course of their studies, students gain a heightened understanding of how to enhance their own leadership effectiveness through self-assessment, simulation and reflection, reinforcing skills such as:

Dynamic environment management

Problem solving/analysis

Strategic integration

Effective communication

Teamwork

Ethical responsibility

Students also gain a solid foundation of business knowledge, including the ability to analyze organizational issues, evaluate possible alternatives, and determine appropriate actions through the application of finance, economics, strategy, organizational and human resources, and marketing.

The MBA program concludes with the comprehensive Capstone Simulation where student teams work together to run a company.

Earn Your MBA Degree Completely Online

NLU also offers the MBA degree program completely online in a highly engaged online learning environment or a combination of online and on-campus courses. You have the power to study when it’s most convenient for you — anywhere, anytime, anyplace.

Leadership Certificate

The Leadership Certificate is a five-course post-baccalaureate development sequence that extends the leadership themes introduced in the MBA program. It can be taken as a stand-alone program or in conjunction with the MBA program as a way for students to more closely examine the significant role they can play as change agents, innovators, strategists and team builders.

Career Outlook

Today’s companies seek leaders with a broad understanding of the dynamics of the global economy, the management and organizational skills needed to effect change, and the communication skills required to motivate team members and engage diverse constituencies.

The Graduate Management Admission Council’s Corporate Recruiters Survey 2012 indicates positive hiring trends for MBA graduates across a wide range of industries. Four in five companies surveyed said they had planned to hire at least one MBA candidate.

Some of the career options for MBA students include:

Advertising or marketing manager

Budget analyst

Management consultant

Financial analyst

Financial manager

Management analyst

Personal financial advisor

Entrepreneurial ventures

Admission Requirements

All applicants must meet NLU's general admission requirements as well as additional requirements specific to this program. Refer to the appropriate application checklist available online at nl.edu/applyonline.

CHICAGO DOWNTOWN CAMPUS

NLU’s Chicago campus on South Michigan Avenue occupies five floors of the historic Peoples Gas Building. This landmark building, across the street from the Art Institute of Chicago and Grant Park, is easily accessible by train, bus and car and is surrounded by restaurants, parking lots/garages and shops.

ELGIN

Conveniently located in a fast-growing business district off I-90 and Route 31, NLU Elgin features 10 classrooms with high-tech media equipment; a computer lab with high-speed Internet access; two conference rooms; and comfortable student lounges. Parking is free at this recently remodeled and upgraded teaching site, which now includes wireless Internet access.

NORTH SHORE

Opened in the summer of 2006, NLU North Shore at Skokie is a state-of-the-art modern campus located just off the Edens Expressway near the Old Orchard Shopping Center. The campus includes 44 wireless classrooms equipped with high-tech media equipment; four computer labs with high-speed Internet access, including a walk-in lab in the library; six conference rooms; a public café for beverages and snacks; a student welcome center; a library for research and study; and multiple, comfortable student lounge areas.

LISLE

Located just minutes from the East-West Tollway (I-88), NLU Lisle features 42 wireless classrooms equipped with high-tech media equipment; four computer labs with high-speed Internet access, including a separate walk-in lab in the library; a café for beverages and snacks; a student welcome center; a library for research and study; conference rooms; and six comfortable student lounge areas with wireless access.

WHEELING

Located in one of Chicago's major northwest suburbs, the newly renovated NLU Wheeling includes 20 classrooms with high-tech media equipment, four conference rooms, four computer labs with high-speed Internet access, large student lounge areas with wireless capabilities and interactive video capabilities, and an extensive research library. The site also houses the university library research collection.

FLORIDA (TAMPA)

Established in 1988 and located in one of the city's major business districts, NLU's Florida Regional Center serves students in 13 counties in central Florida. In addition to six classrooms, this location features a conference room, a computer lab with high-speed Internet access, an extensive research library and comfortable student lounges.

WISCONSIN

NLU's Milwaukee campus has a proud history of serving graduate students in education in southeastern Wisconsin. Nearly one in five certified Wisconsin teachers looks to NLU for graduate education programs – more than any other university in the state. In addition to classrooms with high-tech media equipment, the campus offers a state-of-the-art computer lab with wireless Internet access and an extensive IDS research library.